Krasnye Krylia Hold Tight

Krasnye Krylia have been made to work hard to improve their record to two-and-zero, holding on to defeat hosts CSU Asesoft Ploiesti 79-76 on Wednesday evening.

Krasnye Krylia appeared to have the game wrapped up, taking a comfortable 16-point lead into the final 10 minutes, after leading by as much as 19 midway through the third quarter. However, when Catalin Burlacu hit back-to-back jump shots, the second coming with less than two minutes to play, the hosts had cut the lead back to a point.

Following an Aaron Miles free-throw with 35 seconds to play, Burlacu answered back with one of his own from the charity stripe to keep the deficit at one with 13 seconds left on the clock.

However, when Evgeny Kolesnikov sunk two-from-two from the line, the second bringing up his tenth point of the night, with eight seconds remaining, Ploiesti were only left with enough time to get off one more shot. The responsibility fell to Darius Hargrove but his three-pointer would not fall, allowing the guests to claim the win and see the hosts' record sink to zero-and-two.

For the second week in a row Chester Simmons shone for Krasnye Krylia, recording 21 points whilst Miles late free throw took his tally on the night to 17 points. Omar Thomas chipped in with 13 whilst Kolesnikov rounded out the guests finishing in double figures.

Vladimir Tica was the best of the Romanians with 19 points and seven boards, with eight of his points coming in the final frame. Hargrove ended with 16 and Burlacu's late five points took his tally to 10.